Braggin' Rights Chicken Fried Steak
Submitted by kellegirl
Deep-fried buttermilk-battered round steak with a shattering crust, served with classic cream gravy and mashed potatoes. This is Texas chicken fried steak done right.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
15 minREADY
40 minDown in Texas, chicken fried steak isn’t just dinner. It’s a point of pride.
This version starts with tenderized round steak pounded thin, dipped in a buttermilk batter spiked with hot sauce and garlic, then double-dredged in flour until the coating is thick and shaggy.
Deep frying in shortening gives you that trademark golden, crunchy shell that shatters when you cut into it.
Then comes the cream gravy, built right in the same pan from the drippings, flour, evaporated milk, and beef stock.
Pile it all on a plate with mashed potatoes and you’ve got something worth braggin’ about.
Pro Tips
- Double dredging is the secret: flour, then batter, then back into flour, patting it on until the surface feels dry and shaggy
- Keep the oil steady; too hot and the crust burns before the steak cooks through
- Don’t crowd the skillet or the temperature drops and the crust gets soggy
- Pour off the top grease after frying but keep those browned bits in the pan for the richest gravy
Ingredients
Directions
Cut steak into 4 equal portions.
Pound until each is about ¼ inch thick.
Place flour in a shallow bowl.
In a second dish, stir together baking powder, soda, pepper and salt; mix in buttermilk, egg, pepper sauce and garlic.
The mixture will be thin.
Dredge each steak first in flour, then in batter.
Dunk steaks back into flour and dredge well, patting in the flour until the surface of the meat is dry.
Add enough shortening to a deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven to deep fry steaks in at least 4 inches of fat.
Bring temperature of shortening to 325℉ (160℃).
Fry the steaks, pushing them under the fat or turning them as they bob to the surface, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Drain steaks on paper towels and transfer to a platter.
Keep warm while preparing Classic Cream Gravy.
Divide steaks among 4 plates and serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.
CLASSIC CREAM GRAVY: After cookingf chicken-fried steak or similar dish, pour off the top fat through a strainer, leaving about ½ cup pan drippings in the bottom of the skillet.
Return any browned cracklings from the strainer to the skillet before starting the gravy.
Place skillet over medium heat.
Sprinkle in the flour, stirring to avoid lumps.
Add milk and stock.
Simmer until liquid is thickened and the raw flour taste is gone, about 3 minutes.
Stir the gravy up from the bottom frequently, scraping up any browned bits.
Season with pepper and salt.
Makes about 3 cups.
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